ADRs, or Disney advance dining reservations, are one of the many steps to a successful and fun trip to Walt Disney World. Without them, you’re stuck wandering around and stressing out over where you could actually eat. This is incredibly important during busier times, like every month from January through until December 🙂
Most restaurants can be booked within weeks or even days of your vacation, but there are a few that require significant planning. The reservations that we’re talking about are ones that you should definitely put on your list to get at 7am two months before your vacation to get that perfect schedule!
Thinking about where to start? Then this list is for you!
The Steps To Magic Difference
I’m a huge fan of planning, but there are really good reasons why each of these restaurants could be a perfect experience OR could be a location to skip. Dining is a subjective topic due to a ton of variables that range from time of reservation to dietary preferences/restrictions to everything in between.
My recommendation for any of the Top 10 ADR’s to get ASAP is to know your budget, keep track of the calendar and be ready to make a decision prior to the opening of the reservation window – which as of writing is 60 days (previously 180 days).
Remember that it’s your opportunity to create some magic, because as our friends at The Disney Food Blog say…Food is a Theme Park:)
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THE CURRENT LIST OF TOP ADR’S TO GET IN 2023
- Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Victoria & Alberts at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
- ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Boma at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Le Ceillier at EPCOT
- Oga’s Cantina Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom
- Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
SANAA
This Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurant is one of the best experiences on property, with an interesting and adventurous menu that has us coming back time and time again.
I’m actually updating this list after our most recent trip and although other reservations may have had us impressed – Sanaa was memorable in many ways.
The dining room is full of authentic African decor and has floor to ceiling windows that give you a view onto the savanna. Getting to dine with zebra, giraffes, kudu and ostriches (to name a few) is a huge part of the experience, especially in the early evening during feeding time!
You have to try to the famous Bread Service, which is definitely a hit! 9 accompaniments and 3 different types of naan bread.
VICTORIA & ALBERTS
This signature dining experience at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is coming back, which means that you should definitely keep an eye out for future reservations!
Victoria & Alberts is by far and away one of the best experiences that we have had on Disney property – ever! This is not an understatement, and although just our experience, we were able to find a second reservation while sitting at the table for a time 3 months in the future and booked an entire vacation around it.
There are three dining options to Victoria & Alberts, and we’ll suggest that if you can get a reservation to ANY of the rooms…do it!
18 tables in the main dining room, 8 seats in Queen Victoria’s Room and the 10-seat Chef’s Table. Now you understand why this is an incredibly hot-ticket ADR to try to get. Starting at $250+ before you even walk through the door, this is classified as a “splurge” item while at the Walt Disney World resort. Put this on your Disney bucket list ASAP because you’ll see the best that Disney has to offer in this experience.
So far, we’ve had the opportunity to dine in both the Queen Victoria Room and the Main Dining Room (2x), and both are incredible experiences that I just love to talk about! If you can swing a reservation and be able to allocate the budget for this, you’ll never forget it:)
Related Article: Our Queen Victoria Room @ Victoria & Albert’s Review
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‘OHANA
‘Ohana means family, and this is by far one of the hardest ADRs to get!
Check out the menu, read reviews, ask friends. It’s so much easier to cancel a reservation than it is to wait until 3-4 months before your trip to get your ADR because you just won’t have the opportunity!
STEAKHOUSE 71
The former Wave dining room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort was redesigned with a nod to the 50th anniversary and renamed ‘Steakhouse 71’.
On our last vacation, we had lunch at the restaurant twice, with both being incredibly memorable. The food was a nice change from the typical fare found at the Magic Kingdom, which can be seen as some of the most boring and uninspiring on property. A 5-minute walk across the street from the turnstiles can gain you access to a restaurant that provides options for your entire party and really nice air conditioning.
I had the Stack Burger and the Prime Rib Sandwich, while Jill had the Vegetable ‘Wellington’ and the off-menu veggie stack burger. We found ourselves comparing other dining experiences against our time at Steakhouse 71, which should show the quality of the restaurant.
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TUSKER HOUSE
This was BY FAR one of the best buffet meals that we’ve had at Walt Disney World. Granted, we were there at 11:05am during the changeover and had a plate of breakfast and then a plate of lunch. Outside of that bonus, both my partner and I had a great meal that focused on more than typical “theme park food” that you’ll see at most buffets.
The sheer size of this restaurant will shock and amaze you, but this will give you a great opportunity to enjoy your meal in a quite area. Compared to Be Our Guest, where you’re in three huge themed rooms, Tusker House has multiple side rooms. OH, and I haven’t even mentioned that this is a character experience too!!
BOMA
Another new addition to the list, but Boma has taken the place of other ‘All you care to enjoy’ dining experiences due to the consistency and quality.
It is a splurge, but if you’re going to give a Disney buffet a chance – why not do the best of property. There are no characters here, but the rule that we’ve learned is that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is the single best collection of dining on property.
Plus – zebra domes are part of the dessert section….aka unlimited zebra domes!
Le Ceillier
EPCOT has been known for its dining options for years, including memorable quick service and authentic food from around the World Showcase.
Canada’s Le Ceillier signature restaurant is a highlight and definitely worth getting a reservation for. In addition to a wide range of appetizers and being one of the best steakhouses on property – this is one of the best spots to get a good poutine! Do it…you’ll thank me later!
Oga’s Cantina
This is a controversial one in the household, but I still think that Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Oga’s Cantina is an experience that you should definitely check out…once.
Don’t go for food.
Don’t go for an amazing drink.
Just go to take in the immersive environment that the Disney Imagineers created for Star Wars fans!
CINDERELLA’S ROYAL TABLE
When I first experienced this Magic Kingdom signature restaurant, I was glowing! It was a one and done, but when you think about dining in the castle – it’s worth it.
This experience changed the way that I looked at the Walt Disney World resort. I would 100% recommend this experience for any die-hard Disney fan because nothing’s better than eating in Cinderella’s Castle!
I’m going to include my original Trip Advisor review, as it’s from a specific moment in time that all these years later still gives the context.
First off – The reservation was incredibly difficult to get, but persistence paid off greatly.We arrived 15 minutes before our reservation, but was instructed to come back exactly at 515pm. Cinderella was awaiting us in the foyer for a private meet and greet prior to ascending the staircase.
We were seated in the middle of the main room, which btw…only holds a small number of tables (around 50), so it was a very private experience vs other dining in the Magic Kingdom.
Full disclosure: we do not have kids and were not the only ones in the restaurant without them. Lots of couples on anniversaries and there were a couple of mid-20’s girls who were Disney-Bounding as princesses for their meal.
The menu is a prix fix menu with 5 options for appetizers, 6 options for entrees and 4 desert choices. My selections were the Castle Salad, Beef Tenderloin and the Clock Strikes Twelve. My partner’s selection was the Royal Tasting of Cheese, the Gnochi with Vegetables and the clock strikes twelve.
Amazing Food! The wait staff was incredible and friendly to a whole other level. They had fun, so it was a pleasant atmosphere.
We actually couldn’t eat everything…so we took the desert to go, which they had a great presentation bag with cutlery and napkins for our enjoyment later that evening.
This is a 2-credit experience, so enjoy it all! There are character meet n greets throughout the meal (Jasmine, Snow White, Ariel and Aurora)
Definitely worth it! We enjoyed ourselves (a little too much) and it’s one of our favourite memories to share with family and friends! In fact, the wand and the sword keepsakes are actually staged on my desk at my office to remind me of the dinner we had at Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Highly recommend it!
Beaches & Cream
A hop skip and a jump from EPCOT, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is home to a cool spot that has been consistent for milkshakes, desserts and burgers. Go in with expectations of great air conditioning and a fun environment and you’ll be fine.
Oh, and they have the kitchen sink!
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Theme Park Advanced Dining Reservations Options
MAGIC KINGDOM
- Be Our Guest
- Cinderella Royal Table
- The Crystal Palace
- The Diamond Horseshoe
- Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen
- Liberty Tree Tavern
- The Plaza
- Tony’s Town Square
Our Article about Magic Kingdom Dining Recommendations
EPCOT
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
- Biergarten
- Chefs de France
- Coral Reef
- Garden Grill
- La Creperie de Paris
- La Hacienda de San Angel
- Le Cellier
- Monsieur Paul
- Nine Dragons
- Restaurant Marrakesh
- Rose & Crown
- San Angel Inn
- Space 220
- Spice Road Table
- Takumi-Tei
- Teppan Edo
- Tokyo Dining
- Tutto Italia
- Via Napoli
Our Article about EPCOT Dining Recommendations
DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
- 50’s Prime Time Cafe
- Hollywood Brown Derby
- Hollywood & Vine
- Mama Melrose
- Oga’s Cantina (Lounge)
- Sci-Fi Dine-In
DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
- Rainforest Cafe
- Tiffins
- Tusker House
- Yak & Yeti
